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Monday, April 23, 2012

For those who have known me for years, it's no surprise that every once in a while I like to toss aside my usual fashion taste for a bit and like to unlatch my belts and trade them for loose fitting pieces, dip dye my monotone wardrobe into somewhat summery prints and trade my favorite black pants for flowy skirts. It's a very rare sight, but not impossible to imagine. After all, I live in a tropical island where the temperatures get kind of ridiculous sometimes and although I am one for sticking to my personal style no matter the inclement conditions, I can't help but switch that up every once in a while. Enter one of my all time favorite boho-chic designers: Anna Sui.

For s/s RTW 2012, she gifted us with an inspiring flashback via Puerto Rican fashion illustrator Antonio López (proud to say he's from Utuado, Puerto Rico, same place my grandmother is from!) to the early 70's. What I adore about her designs is that no matter how much her prints and styling blast you to the past, her cutting and construction is relevant to any moment in time and any woman can wear them flatteringly. Crépe de chine and chiffon flowed freely. They're effortless pieces yet modern while maintaining a vintage quirk some designers try to achieve but fail to do so as swimmingly as Sui does. Her pieces can be easily styled and it's a look that can carry on for years and years. I mean, you can get an Anna Sui piece from five years ago ans it'll still be as relevant as the next season.

As you all may have read before on my Pucci Skitch post, I'm not huge on prints but there's something about Anna's prints that always warm my heart. Whether it be little hearts or bold paisleys, her prints are some of my few faves. Also, her accessorizing is sweet. Turbans for summer? YES! What more summery, chic and fabulous than that? Sandals with socks? Well, maybe I'll skip on that but it's definitely a style that a lot of girls can carry if done correctly. It's all brightly spirited. I know that whenever the summer bug hits me, I'll always reach out to Sui for inspiration!

Thursday, April 19, 2012

I know I've hopped on the beauty bandwagon quite a bit lately but I'm a sucker for all things personal care. I'll get back to fashion in a bit. In the meantime...

Quite a while back I stumbled upon a DIY video by Andrea's Choice on You Tube on how to lighten your hair with natural, household ingredients. I've been meaning to change up my hair for quite some time now but since my hair grows so slowly (it took me two years to grow out the last color change I did to it!), I've been quite afraid of doing anything drastic. Also, it's cheap! For under $10 you can get similar results to what a $50+ appointment would be at the salon. I mean, this was a trip to my kitchen and back! Sure, the process takes a bit more than a trip to the beauty salon would, but if you're like me and would prefer to see a gradual process and have the option of stopping then here's what you'll need to do:

The MVP of this process is honey. As Andrea explains, it has small traces of peroxide (yes, that thing your mom and aunt used to lighten her hair with when she was your age) that will gradually lighten your hair unlike the harsh effects of bleaching. So do keep in mind that this will take some time. I have quite greasy hair so I tend to wash my hair every other day. Whenever I'd wash my hair, I'd slather on the honey mask a while before getting in the shower. I did the conditioner and honey mask (1 part honey, 2 parts conditioner). You can also do it with honey, olive oil and maybe half of a banana but I found it was easier to do the honey/conditioner treatment and I didn't want to add more oil to my already grease-prone hair. I'd slather it on, wrap my hair in a plastic bag, let it process for about 30-40 minutes, wash off and dry.

Now, Andrea explains that you'll start noticing your hair lighten right about at the fourth or fifth try, but I started seeing changes immediately. I was shocked when I rinsed my hair after the first try. It wasn't much, but there was definitely some change! I just finished my fourth mask and I couldn't wait to share it with you guys because this stuff really works. The more you do it, the more it will lighten up so I think it works really nice for the upcoming summertime. It's nothing too extreme but just the right amount of change. Heck, I think this might even work for girls that are still into subtle, ombré tips.

Here's my progress. Every time I did a honey mask I took pictures of the result.They were all taken in my bathroom with the same flash, aperture and velocity so you could notice the difference under the same lighting conditions. Sorry if some are a bit blurry but I always forget to charge my camera and I tend to take these pictures a bit rushed.

1st Mask

2nd Mask

3rd Mask

4th Mask

As you can see, the results are quite surprising for something that is as easy as going into your pantry and applying it to your hair. I'm going to keep on working with this until I get to a desired tonality. Maybe I'll even try out the demure ombré tips. Maybe. Also, go check out Andrea's You Tube channel. She's pretty darn awesome!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Leave it to me to wear a dark palette on my wardrobe all year long. How do I occasionally experiment with color? My makeup! Here's where I go crazy literally every chance I get. If there's always something I look forward to in the morning it's deciding my look of the day. I'm quite excited about some of the makeup trends for this spring because they truly are right up my alley. It's all about playing up the eyes or lips.

I present you all with my new face chart model. I like to call her Lila.

Neon lights

Play up your peepers with an extra bold color for that edge your look might be missing. If you're not into sporting bright colored accessories, a touch of neon for spring on your makeup might be just what you need so try out a bold aqua or pink on your lids or lips! It might be a bugger to find neon colors in the US because the FDA doesn't approve of them (booo!), but by simply adding a white base to any bright eyeshadow, the color will instantly pop! Try out NYX's Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk or and always remember to prime your lids for extra payoff!

Bold blue

I'm really excited for this trend because it's one of the few that will actually carry on to fall. If you saw Prabal Gurung's f/w 2012 show the models sported a striking blue lid. Blue tones are also fantastic for brown colored eyes. They're complimentary colors so it's a given that your eyes will go from boring to amazing! Practice out many different looks with blue colored shadows. But take it easy, blue shadow can be messy and your look can go haywire! Just remember to play it up gradually. Maybe start out with a nice eyeliner or a navy smokey eye. You can also play with your mascara color.

Neutral brown and a pop of poppy!

Neutrals are always in and how about taking that smokey eye and softening it up for the spring? Grab your brown colored shadows and blend all along the lids for a soft, yet sultry look. Rub on a nice, peachy color on the apples of your cheeks and play up the look with a bright coral color or a classic red lip! If you're not into a bright lip, keep your lips toned down with a nude color and maybe a swipe of gloss.

Wing it!

I believe there is one look that is absolutely fool-proof and timeless: the winged eye! Absolutely no other look is as flawless as this on is in my book. Whether you like to get your done with pencil, gel or liquid liner, it's a look that'll lift any eye. It takes a little practice mastering the wing, but I promise that once you've got it down, it's a makeup look you'll want to wear almost every day. Play it up with a bright coral, red or pink lip and you're out the door in 1, 2, 3! You can even add some false lashes for that extra va-va-voom!

I'm really excited for these makeup trends this spring and they're all looks that can be easily transformed for any outfit, occasion and season. They're playful, exciting and easy to achieve. What are your favorite spring makeup trends?

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Well, hello! A bold return! Last time I dared look at my blog it was February. Woah! A LOT has been going on. Finished my internship, did some work, now I'm back on the job search cycle again, my plans for Parsons are rounding up, etc. Since I'm in between jobs, I have quite a bit of free time on my hands. Not that that's a bad thing, but I did realize I can't go back to my lazy ways. I enjoy having something or too much to do all the time. These past few days have been bugging me. I mean sure, I'm a very creative person and I've got plenty to make but somehow I've found myself waking up and sticking myself to my bed with my lappy on hand and a good cup of joe and lo and behold... there goes my day! It sucks, I know. Maybe I'm in a bit of a rut but let's just face it, these past few weeks have been a bit hard on my soul, my head, and my pocket. Leave it to me to find an expensive outlet for my woes. I head towards the makeup department, maybe more so than the fashion one. It's like child's play to me. It's art but practical and direct. Slap that on and walk out the door easy. Problem? I'm broke. So I decide to do something about it. I lay out all of my stock of makeup in front of me and I think, "If I can't get myself anything new, I'll work with what I've got and make it new.". It's just a matter of techniques, I suppose.

Oh boy, was I right! I'm always really into graphic patterns and designs, so it's no surprise I also reflect that on my makeup aesthetic. I've always loved a good, lacey pattern too so I took it upon myself to spontaneously work that into my eye makeup. Here's the how-to on getting this really cool stenciled lace work on your peepers or any place on your face and body. It's so intricate, it's actually too easy to achieve.

You'll need:

A primer. Depends if you're doing this on your eyes or face, you'll either use a face or eyeshadow primer. My reccomendation is Nars' Eyeshadow primer or Make Up Forever's HD Face primer.

A white base. Leave it to NYX's Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk to transform your old, boring eyeshadows into an "OMG THIS IS AMAZING PAYOFF!" product.

Any good, flat shadow brush. Flat as in not paddle-like, but flat as in not tappered. Or just about any good blending brush will do. These are from Estée Lauder.

Eyeshadows and pigments of your choice. This technique I find works best with dry products, so I'd leave the cream pigments and shadows out unless you work them with a sponge but I fear that'll blend in too much with the NYX Eye Pencil base and you'll loose the effect.

Lace or ribbon of your choice. This is my absolute favorite ribbon. I use it for absolutely EVERYTHING! I love that it's so organic.

How to:

Step 1: Prep and prime your skin. I didn't do it for this tutorial because I'd be wiping it off as soon as I'd finish it so I didn't want to waste my primer on it but if you're going to use this for an event or costume, it's best you do.

Step 2: Take your white base and distribute it evenly on the surface you want to place your design on. Don't put on too much, because this can crease if overdone.

Step 3: With your finger, blend out the product until your get a nice, even coat. This will help the colors stick and the contrast between the colors and the stencil outlines pop.

Step 4: Place the lace over the white base. Hold it firmly in place.

Step 5: Take your brush, dip it into the color of choice and start stippling it over the area. Remember to keep the lace steady in place or your design will shift and you'll loose the effect! Be as creative as you want. You can blend in different color variations or play with shine!

Step 6: Remove lace...

And you're done!

You can play around with this technique however you wish. It's great for a reptile effect or scales. This is how I used it. I didn't realize it was a bit of Black Swan-ish until after I finished the look but whatever. I didn't plan it so this is how it turned out and I loved it! I kept the lips nude because of course, there was so much going up on the eyes that I didn't want it to turn out like a face fiasco.